Drug abuse has been an ongoing problem for many years and it eventually leads to addiction. Drug addiction is a person"s chemical dependency on a substance or in some cases multiple substances. The rate of addiction is continuing to rise because society has not identified the main issues such as a person"s social upbringing, genetic structure of the brain, and use of prescription medications. Many people assume people are addicts because they choose to be, but that is not the case. It is true that a person voluntarily chooses to use a substance, but over a period of time the genetic structure of the brain changes and it becomes involuntary. In addition, it is important to know that not all people are not in the right state of mind when they choose to use drugs. Some people are tricked into it or even influenced by their closest peers, family members, or through a doctor"s prescription. In order to stop this growing epidemic we must first identify all the leading contributions otherwise, this is a problem that will continue to develop.

Often, the chemical structure of drugs is similar to brain chemicals or neurotransmitters. Similarity in structure allows them to be recognized by neurons and to alter normal brain messages. Illustrated above is THC, the active ingredient found in marijuana. It"s chemical structure is highly similar to anandamide, which is involved in a variety of functions including regulation of pain, appetite, memory, and mood.

The brain consists of billions of neurons, or nerve cells, that communicate via chemical messages. This is a schematic drawing of a neuron. Towards the left of the diagram is the cell body, where neurotransmitters are made. Extending outward from the cell body are dendrites, which receive information from other neurons. When the cell body is sufficiently stimulated, an electric pulse called an action potential is generated and subsequently travels down the axon to the terminal region of the cell. Fast transmission of this electrical message is aided by an insulator material covering the axon called myelin. Once the impulse reaches the nerve terminal, neurotransmitters, such as dopamine are released into the synapse or gap between neurons. These chemicals can then attach to receptors located on the dendrites of neighboring neurons, thus transmitting information from one cell to the next within the brain and other parts of the body. Some axons can travel a long distance, extending all the way from your brain to your toes!

When a signal comes down the axon, dopamine is released into the synapse. It then crosses the synaptic cleft to the second neuron, where it binds to and stimulates dopamine receptors, generating a signal in the second neuron. The dopamine is then released from the receptor and crosses back to the first neuron where it is picked up by dopamine transporters for re-use.

Eating something that you enjoy or being stimulated sexually can cause dopamine levels to increase. In these graphs, dopamine is being measured inside the brains of animals. Its increase is shown in response to food or sex cues. This basic mechanism of controlled dopamine release and reuptake has been carefully shaped and calibrated by evolution to reward normal activities critical for our survival.

Drug addiction is one man's choice to drive himself to that point. I'm not saying I'm ALL for it, or against it, I'm just saying that it's your choice to do what to your body.